Mucous membrane exposure of HCW

Mar 11, 2003

Hi Dr. Frascino -
Just wanted to write and tell you what an asset you are to the HIV community. Thank you for your guidance and sharing your knowledge. I am an RN that was recently exposed to unknown source blood by a bloody water splash to the face (In the ER where I just began working, someone discarded blood into a sink! I turned on the faucet and got a nasty surprise. Can you believe?!?)Do you know where I can research the CDC case reports of HIV seroconversion from mucous membrane exposure? Do you happen to know why the CDC MMWR does not recommend HIV RNA or viral load testing of exposed HCWs? Thanks again for all you do. You stay well, yourself!

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hello Healthcare Worker,

First off, I hope you filed an incident report with your supervisor at the ER. The CDC's most recent update on Management of Occupational Exposures can be found at www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5011a1.htm. It's dated 6/29/2001.

Your risk of seroconversion from this type of exposure is extremely low, but if there was a significant exposure, your employer should pay for HIV tests immediately, and again at 3 and 6 months. I understand the CDC's position on PCR (RNA or DNA) viral loads, but suggest you contact them directly to hear their specific rationale for their recommendations - after all it is their recommendation.

This forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not rendering medical, mental health, legal or other professional advice or services. If you have or suspect you may have a medical, mental health, legal or other problem that requires advice, consult your own caregiver, attorney or other qualified professional.

Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither TheBody.com nor any advertiser is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.

The Body is a service of Remedy Health Media, LLC, 750 3rd Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10017. The Body and its logos are trademarks of Remedy Health Media, LLC, and its subsidiaries, which owns the copyright of The Body's homepage, topic pages, page designs and HTML code. General Disclaimer: The Body is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through The Body should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.